Physical Activity/Back Exercises

Maintaining a strong back will reduce pain and injury to people with back problems

Exercises should have the tingling sensation of a stretch, but shooting or painful burning indicate that you should stop the exercise. While a personal trainer is useful, it is good enough if you use common sense and exercise with a friend. A personal trainer is not a doctor, if you hurt yourself, the personal trainer cannot snap you back into place. They will do exactly what an exercise partner or friend would do, call for help. But these exercises are not dangerous, and if you mind your conditions and be cautious, they are completely safe.

Get on your hands and knees. Now, lift your right arm and your left leg. Straighten them up in the air. Hold for 2 seconds or as long as you are comfortable holding. Get back on all fours, then lift your left arm and your right leg. Repeat this process always using opposite sides of legs and arms. If you are tense, you might not be able to completely extend your leg or arm, in this case do not push it, just go as far as you comfortably can and repeat the exercise. Over many repetitions over several days, you should be able to get closer to extending those arms and legs straight. Also, do not forget to breathe. Either because of the difficulty of the activity, or because of the percieved difficulty of it, some people hold their breath, sometimes out of a habit of holding breath or not breathing naturally when exercising. In general, it is a good idea to breathe through your nose if you can. This will be less tiring than breathing through your mouth.

If you like, you can do this exercise on top of a towel, or a stiff foam mat. It is important not to do exercises like this on a bed or other springy, non solid surface. But it can irritate your knees to be on all fours, so you can do this exercise on a blanket, towel or camping mat.